


Undaunted

by SweeTarts151



Category: The Shannara Chronicles (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-18 15:52:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10620153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweeTarts151/pseuds/SweeTarts151
Summary: When Eretria was taken by elf hunters Amberle hadn't given up on finding her. Now that Amberle's the Ellcrys, Eretria won't give up until she has her back. Set right after the season finale.





	

Eretria comes to with blinking eyes and the ground digging into her knees as she is jerked up right. Her vision swims from the exhaustion and blood loss that had forced her to faint as she attempted to exit the tunnels. "It's you." Her eyes are wide as they take in the scene before her, sure she has died and been greeted by those lost.

The man before her, standing between the two large trolls, grins. His fingers twitch as they brush lock of hair from her face. "You sound surprised Eretria."

"They killed you, I saw." She shakes her head, her muscles hurt but slowly she is waking up, growing more alert.

He laughs loudly but she sees the flicker of pain when he moves his left arm slightly. "The wicked never die my dear child."

"Cephelo." He holds up his hand, the two trolls behind him are tenser than a bow string and her mouth shuts with an audible click, teeth grounding together in fear and anger.

He catches the familiar tensing of her jaw and the sharp sheen in her eyes, his lips twitch before he speaks. "They owe me a favor, they won't kill you."

That defiant glint in her eyes makes his chest ache and thrum as Eretria tilts her chin up and glares at him, ever the petulant prisoner. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Don't worry, I won't kill you." He gestures with his right hand are wide and almost erratic, the trolls watching his every breath. "I have an offer." He pauses dramatically, eyes expectant and she refrains from tilting her chin in question, he sighs but smiles before it falls and he meets her eyes head on. "Come with me. The half-breed left you here to die, I sacrificed _myself_ to save you. I take care of my own."

Eretria stiffens, swallowing thickly as her eyes burn. "Cephelo."

His lips purse and he sighs. "Your debt had been paid kid, follow me or don't." His eyes harden and he clenches his teeth, nose flaring. "But remember who raised you."

Her lip trembles before she sets her shoulders back, staring at the man who raised her. Who laughed at the bruises she'd got from fighting. Who puffed his chest in pride when she took down the best swordsman at thirteen. The man who's hands are familiar with squeezing the air from her throat and leaving behind dark bruises. The man who stayed behind to face the trolls to give her a chance to live. "I can't leave them."

He tosses her a knapsack. "A fool through and through girl."

"Thank you." She stares at him, looks at everything he represents about her and she turns her back on him, running out of the tunnels and racing down the slopes through the forest. Her chest burns and her head swims but she needs to see them. Needs to make sure they are alright. She runs for a few more clicks before stumbling into a tree, she had been unconscious a day or two, can feel it in the ache of her bones and the tightness of her muscles. Fear gnaws away at her, too many things could happen in two days. There is a desperate need to see them. To touch them. 

With a slower pace she makes her way through the trees until night falls and she slumps against a tree, chest tight as she stares at the moon, aching to continue she sits down with her back to the tree and digs through the sack Cephelo had tossed her. She sips at the water in there, finds some dried food and a knife. Her fingers tremble across it, the hilt ornate and shining with bright gemstones. She tucks it into her belt, pulling out the flint and staring a quick fire, hidden in the enclave of trees with a thick blanket around her shoulders. Gifts from a man who was both the monster and the savior of her early childhood. The man who would as soon pat her on her back as slap her across her face. Her stomach drops but she ignores it, focusing on the moon and slowly falling asleep.

* * *

* * *

She wakes with a start, muscles aching as she packs up her meager camp, rolling the blanket and gnawing at too chewy dried meat. The water is cool against the back of her throat and her head spins from blood loss but she feels anew. Each footstep leads her closer and closer to Amberle and Wil. She keeps the sun in her eyes right, tracking it with her eyes and shifting when needed. 

The sun is hot against her hair and shoulders, jacket tucked around the knapsack on her back, the water jug sloshes half empty and she forces herself to stop and relieve her self. When she straightens up from her crouch her head spins and she is forced to use her palm to catch a tree, heavily pressed into it until the dizziness fades and her pale face regains some color. The sun is arching low in the sky and she figures she has another four to five days of walking on foot. Jiggling the water she sighs before the sound of hooves forces her to pause and listen. Crouching behind a tree she waits for the rider to pass, long branch in her hand. She needs a horse, the rider come through the clearing and Eretria freezes. "Wil?"

The half elf jerks in his saddle staring at her wide-eyed and hopeful yet greif-stricken. Her smile is trembling as she runs forward. He vaults off the horse, catching her in his arms and spinning her around. She laughs in relief. "What are you doing?"

His eyes are haunted but bright. "I was coming for you."

She shoves him to the horse. "You found me, lets go elf-boy."

His lips tremble as he climbs up and she scramble behind him on the horse, squeezing his side. "I was worried I wouldn't get to you in time."

"I beat you to it, I can protect myself."

His laugh is wet. "I know." 

She breathes in his familiar scent and notices the absences that had been grating at her since she said his name. "The princess fix the tree?"

Wil stiffens in front of her. "Yeah."

Eretria's entire body relaxes and a smile twitches at her lips. "Well, where is she? Didn't chase her off did you Tips?"

Wil swallows, ducking his chin to his chest. "She's gone."

"What?" Her hands tighten across his waist and she shakes her head. "She wouldn't leave us. She wouldn't leave me in the tunnels or you alone. Where'd she go?"

He swallows thickly, tears threatening to spill. "She sacrificed herself to save the tree. She was the seed."

 _"No."_ She shakes her head against him, pulling in a shaking breath. "We sacrificed too much for her to die in the end."

His hands are tight on the reins and he won't look up from the horn of the saddle. "She's not dead, just _gone."_

She jerks the edges of his jacket. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"She became the tree." His shoulders drop.

"You expect me to believe she's a tree?" She jabs her fingers into his ribs, scooting back away from him. "Why the hell would she do that?"

He finally turns his head to try and catch her gaze. "To save everyone."

Her jaw flexes and she lets out a quick puff of air. "How do we save her?"

Wil turns away from her, refusing to meet her gaze and he feels her grip tighten as he speaks, the horse snorts below them as it walks. "There's no way."

"Bullshit, we can save her!" Her eyes are wide and voice loud as she pulls at his jacket.

"No, we did our part." He wipes at his eyes, cheeks red and eyes bloodshot. "She'll talk to us or the others when she's ready."

"Where are we going?" She digs her hips into the horse's back, attempting to stop it as she reaches for the reins with her left hand, eyes catching the sun on her left. "This isn't towards Arborlon."

"I'm going home, i'm going to be a healer." He pulls the reins from her hand, his own trembling. "I need to."

"And you think i'm coming with you?" Her lip draws up to sneer at him, remaining hand releasing it hold on him.

He halts the horse, turning to stare at her. "Where else would you go?"

Her chin tilts up. "Arborlon, I need to see her myself."

"She's a tree!" His voice cracks and his shoulders are too tight. "She can't or won't talk to us! There's nobody to mourn and no funeral!" He scrambles off the horse, glaring at her as she clings to the saddle to keep from falling off as he trembles in grief. "Don't you get that?"

"I don't get why your giving up!" She jerks on the horse's reins to pull it to a stop next to the half elf, towering over him. "She wouldn't give up on us!"

"There is no hope, she is gone." Tears fall down his cheeks and he reaches for Eretria. "One day, maybe, she'll talk to us and until then I need to learn. She would want us to live, not dwell on her sacrifice. You know this."

She jerks away from his hold, the horse snorting at the tense air. "Because you knew her so well?"

He flushes from his cheeks to his chest, snarling at the human. "And you think you did?"

"No, but I understand her, i'm not giving up on her." She jumps off the horse, standing in front of him. "Good luck on your journey Wil." She sneers at him. "May it be _enlightening."_

"Don't do this Eretria." He reaches for her again, face furrowed in grief. "Don't push me away."

"Push you away?" She shoves his hands away, itching for her knife. "You're leaving. You're running with your tail between your legs like you always do!"

"There is nothing we can do!" Wil's hands come to run through his hair, pull at the roots. "The Druid said so himself."

Eretria begins to walk in the direction to Arborlon, body trembling with exhaustion as rage boils in her veins. "And he didn't think to tell her or us that she would have to sacrifice herself?"

He grabs her shoulder, pulling her to a stop before releasing her. "Please, I can't lose you too."

"You didn't lose either of us, you come with me or you go off on your own."

"I"m not doing this, I can't go back to Arborlon." He shakes his head, wiping at the tears on his face. "I can't see that tree and know that she is trapped in there."

Eretria grabs the elf stone pouch, jerking it until it pulls at his neck. "Then help me get her out!"

"Magic has a price!" He rips the pouch from her hand. "To save the tree, to save everyone, she gave herself up. There's nothing we can do."

"You've given up already." She shakes her head, voice low and broken. "You always give up so early."

"I am done fighting." His shoulders slump and the horse nibbles at the hat in his hands. "I wasn't made for war." Voice cracking he continues. "She is gone Eretria. One day she'll talk to us but that's not today and it won't be tomorrow. She's _gone."_

She shoves him back, hands harsh against his chest as tears blur her vision. "Stop saying that like there's no hope!"

"There isn't, you don't think it doesn't hurt me?!" He grabs her hands, squeezing them reassuringly. "That my heart doesn't hurt? I lost her too."

"She isn't gone!" She rips her aching hand from his grip, breathing harshly. "We can get her back."

He shakes his head, letting out a defeated sigh. "There's no way, don't you get that?"

Her chin raises and she glares defiantly back at him. "I'm not giving up on her."

"Eretria." Her name is a sigh from his lips, sad and longing.

She begins to walk past him, ignoring his pleading eyes. "I'm going back to Arborlon."

He sighs, dropping his hat back over his ears. "You won't find answers there." She ignores him, ignores his lingering words and his saddened eyes.

* * *

* * *

She makes the journey to Arborlon, acquiring a horse through her normal ways after she and Wil split ways. The journey takes a few days but she'd memorized the path in her head, memories haunting her as she races to the Elven City she had once snuck into. She does the same as she had last time, leaving the horse at the gates and sneaking in until she hauls herself up through a window with heaving breaths and a spinning head. She leans against the wall, eyes closed and when she opens them she is greeted by Allanon staring at her. "You can't change what has already happened."

She shoves herself off the wall, barely keeping steady. "I can try."

"You are stubborn, but it won't change anything." He reaches for her and she jerks back, his eyes are full of regret and understanding but he backs away. "When the time is right she will talk to you, you will see."

"I will see?" She glares at him, jaw clenched and she aches to throw the knife between his eyes. "See what? That's she sacrificed herself and you didn't warn us."

He sighs, searching her mind and finding a swirling mess of thoughts. Too many regrets, too much anger and pain. It is chaotic and he closes his mind to hers. "It wouldn't have done anything except made her doubt herself. She did this to save the world."

There is a flash of anger that threatens to force him to his knees. "And who put the world on her shoulders?!" She advances toward him, weak from blood-loss but still every-bit as threatening as a troll.

"She did when she ran for the gauntlet." His voice is calm and he watches as her face remains impassive but her emotions flare. "When she was the last chosen and the only female."

There is a cold determination in her eyes as she looks up at him. "I want everything on the tree."

He searches her mind but all he find is that shear determination that could crumble mountains. "It won't change anything."

She sneers at him, contempt flooding his mind as she spits out her words. "Couldn't hurt then could it _Druid?"_

He sighs, letting his shield fall back into place to block her thoughts. "It will only cause you pain."

"I'm used to pain."

* * *

* * *

And so she scours the books in the library, the librarian watching her carefully, sometimes bringing the human tea and a curious worried gaze. Five days later, with bloodshot eyes and an exhausted body she travels to pause right outside the room containing the tree. She presses her fingers into the door, her heart thunders in her chest and she manages not to startle when a voice sounds behind her. "Standing out here isn't going to get her to talk faster."

She spins around to glare at the king, Ander, Amberle's uncle, nostrils flaring. "What are you talking about?"

"If you want to go in there and see her then do it." He tilts his chin to the door. "Stop stalling."

The rover grits her teeth but throws open the door. "Maybe I didn't want to track mud into your sanctuary."

The king shrugs, following in after her. There is a anguished air surrounding him. Th slump of his shoulders and the loss in his eyes. "Not many people come in here anymore. I come every day and so does Catania but there are no changes, maybe a new face will change that." Eretria scoffs but steps close to the tree, she stares at it but all she sees it a tree. Sliver trunked, red-leaved and full of life. "The Ellcrys only speaks when touched."

Eretria doesn't even bother glaring at him, eyes focused on the tree, longing to see Amberle's face. "Maybe she doesn't want to be touched, think of that Elf King?"

He pauses blinking dumbly at her before his lips twitch as if to smile. "No, I hadn't."

Eretria stares at the tree still and her eyes burn for some godforsaken reason. She blames it on the hours spent reading the books. Her heart thunders in her chest and she clenches her jaw, glaring at the roots of the tree. "Why didn't you stop her?"

He looks longingly at the tree, grief etched across his face and his hands tremble. "No one could, it was her destiny."

She scoffs, never taking her eyes form the tree, memories echoing through her mind. "That your excuse for everything?"

"I was like you, still am. I didn't believe in demons, magic, druids or destiny until my niece proved it to me." His heart aches and he longs for his family. "I trusted my father but I didn't really believe it. Not until we had demons at our door and she saved us." He looks at her again, searching her face. "And you, when did you believe?"

Eretria lets out a puff of air. The sound soft and amused. "When she tackled me to save me from a fury."

He snorts loudly, almost choking on it and Eretria glares at him as he shakes his head fondly. "She always had a knack for trouble." They stand in silence and her chest still burns but she won't take her eyes off the tree again. "Did you finish all the readings?"

"Twice."

He searches her face for answers. "And?"

There is a flicker of anger on her face and a clenched jaw. "Nothing that helps."

"Do you wish to stay?" He stops searching her face, instead turning to face the Ellcrys, his niece. "Allanon says she will talk to us when she's ready."

Her shoulders are pulled taut like a bowstring as she speaks. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

He furrows his eyebrows. "You can stay."

She shrugs her shoulders, finally hiding every emotion that had been building inside of her. "I'm a rover in an elf city, I don't belong. I don't want to stay here."

He sighs, nodding gently and cradling the sword at his hip. "Where will you go?"

"Around."

He lets out a huff of air, searching her face again. "Will you be back?"

She finally looks at him, shrugging before turning back to the red leaves. "I don't know."

He sighs. "Be careful. You were important to Amberle, it makes you important to me."

Eretria keeps her eyes off of him, swallowing thickly before speaking with false bravado. "Good to know, that count with sparing some food for the road?"

He nods, pulling his shoulders back as he had seen his father do many times. "I'll have your bags packed, are you going to see Wil?"

"No." There is a harsh bite to her tone that they both ignore.

He watches her stare at the place his niece had entered the tree. "Where are you going?"

Her lips twitch but she remains impassive. "Someplace."

He grunts, shaking his head. "That's helpful."

She smirks at him, tilting her head to the side. "I'm an enlightening person."

"I see why you set her on edge so often." He grumbles out before tilting his head to the side. "Shall I expect pages missing from the books?"

Her chin tilts high. "You gonna search me?"

He snorts again. "No, no one will miss the pages." He meets her gaze. "Be safe, I hope you find what you're looking for."

She meets his eyes, sees the same pain and determination there. "You and me both Elf King."

* * *

* * *

* * *

Amberle visits her in her dreams two days after being on the road. Eretria stumbles back at first, chest stilled before she finds her voice. "You're real?"

Amberle looks like she had before the battle, armor shining and sword heavy at her hip. Hair pulled back to show off the high points of her ear. "The tree allows me to speak to those I can."

Eretria stiffens, swallowing thickly. "Why don't you talk to anyone else?"

Amberle grins at her, eyes soft and sad yet happy. "I'm talking to you."

Eretria raises one eyebrow, lips twitching. "In my dreams?"

Amberle lets out a soft sigh, taking in the changes to Eretria's face. Searching over it like she hadn't seen it in years instead of days. "No, they're not quite dreams."

"If you can talk to me, then talk to them." There a roaring fire released in Eretria's chest and her eyes are brighter than they had been. "See if they can help you."

"I'm not ready for that yet." Amberle looks down at her trembling, fading hands. "I'm not strong enough."

"Then don't waste your energy on me." Eretria steps closer to the elf princess, searching her face and finding only sadness. "I'm getting you outta there."

Amberle's face slackens in grief and she shakes her head sadly. "Eretria it won't work."

The human steps close to the elf, reaching out for her shoulder. "You don't know that."

"I did what was necessary." Amberle meets her gaze, hardened by the truth. "I played my part, just like you did."

Eretria bares her teeth, itching to throw something. "But my part didn't include sacrificing myself!"

"You died!" Amberle's words crack and her chest heaves, eyes filling with tears. "You died and Wil brought you back. You gave your life in the beginning to open the Bloodfire and in the end with the trolls."

"Doesn't mean you have to too!" Her brows furrow together as she stares at the elf, lips trembling. "Come back, please."

Amberle swallows down a cry of anguish, speaking with a thick voice instead. "I can't."

The tears threaten to fall and Eretria clenches her jaw, adverting her gaze. "Everyone always leaves."

"Eretria, please." Amberle reaches for Eretria, hesitantly. "Don't do this, you'll drive yourself mad."

Her hand manages to settle on Eretria's cheek and the human stiffens, closing her eyes as she speaks. "I can save you. You saved me plenty of times."

Amberle sighs, lips twitching in a mirthless bittersweet smile. "It's not a contest."

Dark eyes open and Amberle's breath catches in her throat at the emotions there as the human speaks. "No, but that doesn't change anything."

Amberle's eyes scour over the other girl's face, searching before resigning, fingers twitching too tight on a cheek before digging into the side of her jaw. "Be careful please."

Eretria smirks, wiping at her face as she steps back from Amberle, the elf's hand falling limply to her side. "I'm a Rover, Princess. Don't know the meaning." She lets out a deep sigh as she vanishes back to the waking world.

Another body materializes next to Amberle, it is an elf not much older than Amberle, though she looks young her eyes are haggard and they betray her age and origin. The original Ellcrys. She stare at Amberle before speaking with an accented thick voice, aged by time and wisdom. "She feels for you, that much is true."

Amberle shakes her head, bring her hands to clasp together in front of her, her right hand burns from where it touched Eretria. "No, she can't."

"You've bonded with the human." The past tree watches as the emotions bleed from the seedling. "The key."

Amberle ducks her head and swallows, ears blushing red. "She can't bring me back."

"No." There is a sadness to them and she watches her newest seed struggle with the implications of leaving everyone behind. "You are the seed of the tree, the heart of our safety."

"She'll give up." Her eye flicker to the spot where the human had stood. "She has too."

The former tree lets out a low sigh, barely heard as she watches her successor. "I don't believe she will."

* * *

* * *

* * *

Eretria make camp another three weeks after speaking with Amberle, she is far from the Elven city. Far from Amberle's reach and she aches as she pulls out a map. Too many "x's" through it. A score of notes scribbled along the sides of it and fraying to the edges of it. Its looks as worn and broken as the human. She cross off another spots circled on the map. An underground library much like the thing both girls had stumbled upon when running from Zora. Her bag is laden with scrolls and books, some from libraries like this and others from other Elven settlements she had snuck into. "Well Ginger, the next is five miles away, you ready?" She pats the horse's shoulder and gets a snort in response. Rubbing at haggard eyes she climbs back up into the saddle, turning until the sun is behind her, beating on her back. Her packs get heavier with each stop and she rubs the horse down each night, longer and more gentle after each book and scroll is loaded into the saddlebags, the more important ones in Eretria's side pack.

She follows the hastily drawn trails she had done while hidden in the elf towers a two week ride from Amberle's home. She had been dreading yet awaiting when she fell asleep, some nights Amberle would come to her and others she would not. Tonight is not one of those nights and Eretria twists and turns in her sleep. Images flashing in her mind. Memories not her own. Her arm and shoulder burns as she dreams and she awakes with a start. Ginger snorting at the girl from where she is eating her nightly meal. 

Eretria rubs at her eyes wearily, she rises slowly, grabbing some scrolls from the saddle bag and a map. She translates the words slowly by the light of the fire and the squint of her eyes. Ginger nibbles at the hair curling over her shoulders once she is done eating and the human presses a sweet treat over her shoulder against the horse's nose. She eats greedily and Eretria sighs, rubbing at her face. "The Cloud City. Ginger, elves can't fly right?" The horse snorts and the girl grunts. "They hide in the high skies, the clouds at their fingers." She rubs at her eyes. "Cloud. Wait a minute." Her fingers grab another page, yanking it close to her and she stares at the hieroglyphs on it. "Sky. Cloud." She flips the page. "Tree. Forest. Of fucking course. The Tree City. Leaves at their finger tips. Fucking elf hieroglyphs." She circles a spot on the maps with cautious directions from the text mentioning a waterfall and canyon. "Good thing I can climb Ginger." 

* * *

She leaves Ginger in a clearing, supplies buried in the roots of a tree. saddle hung high in the trees. She climbs the mountainside in the dark. Gripping the rocks tightly, and empty satchel at her side. She makes it to the top, making notes and such before she surveys everything. There's no torches to show where the hidden society is so she searches, finds the scuff marks in the moonlight. Paths of grass sparser than those around it. Natural notches in a tree that are worn from use. So she climbs up one easily, pressing into the shadows to hide from any eyes. They are too lax in their security, grown too soft with the lack of attack. The lack of knowledge from those in their world. They hadn't been disturbed for years, none had know there was a city hidden within the trees. 

She smirks as she moves through the trees, feet finding the natural bridges between the trees, the vines woven together, alive and stronger than any hand made bridge. Her eyes grow accustomed to the darkness, searching for the hidden city. Climbing when she finds no more bridges, following the notches with quiet assurances of her own direction, the stars and moon hidden by the looming leaves above her. 

She sneaks through to houses, finds no books there before she stumbles upon another house hidden in the thicker foliage, the elves quietly talking below her, eating over torchlight together. She grabs a few books stuffing them in her bag before there is the creak of the elf-made door and she lurches out the room, stepping on the branches she can before one gives out under her. A shout rings out and she jumps to a lower branch, ribs aching and knee throbbing she jumps from branch to branch, the books throwing off her balance as she falls off another one when it cracks under her feet, before she hits the ground. Grunting and rising to her feet Eretria rushes to Ginger, cutting the rope to the saddle and cinching it to the trembling horse before she tugs the books from where they lay slumped at the roots of the tree and hauls herself on the horse, an arrow whizzing past her head as she heads for the far clearing, where the tree elves cannot follow. The moon is bright on the path and her heart thunders in her chest, something like hope mixed with adrenaline. 

* * *

* * *

* * *

The second month on the road she makes a mistake and gets caught, tired and worn she forgets to cover her tracks and the elves get her. She falls unconscious, in pain and exhausted. Amberle comes to her then. "I got through, my uncle's troops are on their way. Hold out Eretria." She brushes her hand along Eretria's bloodied cheek. "Just hold on."

"Amberle?" Eretria's voice is thick with pain as she looks up.

"Yeah, i'm here." Her fingers tremble along Eretria's bleeding face. "You passed out, it's easier to connect with you when your guard is down."

Eretria blinks slowly, dazed. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

Her face twists in confusion and pain as she struggles to remember. "Elves, they caught me in the library."

Amberle's fingers tremble across Eretria's ears, brushing the rounded edges gently. "You'll be fine, my uncle's on his way."

"I can save myself." Eretria grunts out, blinking quickly. "I need to wake up."

Amberle trembles. "Please be careful."

"No promises." Eretria grunts out, standing up and leaning against the tree behind her, it is warm and wide. "Guess you needed incentive to talk to the others?"

Amberle's fingers grip Eretria's face, careful of the wounds. "Don't joke about your life like this."

Eretria scoffs gently, hand cradled around her broken ribs. "I'm still breathing Princess."

Tear fill Amberle's eyes and she searches over Eretria, fingers trembling across the strong jaw decorated in bruises. "I wish I was there with you."

"Wouldn't change a thing." Eretria huffs out. "You'd be caught."

"They might have listened to me."

Eretria snorts then winces, holding her side. "That didn't work out so well last time."

Amberle winces with her, eyes searching over the blood and bruises decorating the human's skin and clothing. "No, but you were fighting to save me that time."

The human shakes her head, chin ducked low in guilt. "Wasn't fast enough."

"And i'm not fast enough this time." Amberle trembles, thumbs slipping over cheeks gently before winding back to brush her ears. Eretria closes her eyes, leaning into the soft touch. "Just hold on okay?" Her thumb rubs at the rounded edge again.

"This is nothing." Eretria grunts out, voice thick with pain as she begins to fade. "See you later Princess."

"Eretr-" The words are cut off as Eretria wakes up with a low moan.

An elf taps at her cheek, dark eyes hard and ears pointed high. "Good, you're awake." Eretria meets her gaze head on, glaring balefully at the elf. "Tell us why you were looking at books on the Ellcrys." Eretria keeps her lips pressed together tightly, chin held high. "You know what happens when you don't answer my questions."

"Fuck you."

The elf sighs. "So vulgar." She grabs Eretria's ear, nails digging into the flesh. Eretria flinches back, baring her teeth, the soft touch of Amberle chased away by the harshness of this elf's touch. "So human." She twists the ear in her fingers forcefully. "Tell us what harm you mean to do to our Ellcrys."

"Nothing, books on elves sell to the highest bidder."

"You lie. You weren't just taking our books. You specifically went for the book on the Ellcrys." Her nails draw blood behind Eretria's left ear and she grips her chin harshly with the other, pressing into the bruises. "I have many elves here who's family members have been killed by humans, they would not take kindly to your presence. It will get worse if you don't tell me the truth."

"I've told you the same thing the last six times." Eretria spits out. "What more can you do?"

"So much worse, you've been here two days." She releases Eretria's face, lips bared into a snarl. "Imagine what a week will be like. Now, tell me what I want to hear."

"What you want to hear isn't the truth Elf."

The woman twists a knob to pull the straps tighter across the human's chest before she brings a knife forward. "Tell me." Eretria keeps her mouth shut and the elf's eyes darken in rage before she presses the knife harshly against Eretria's skin until it slices into Eretria's right shoulder. Burying it in the flesh before she twists it with a flick of her wrist. Eretria grunts but doesn't make much noise. "You hold out so well to our torture." Fingers brush along a bloodied and bruised face, leaving the knife in quivering flesh. "You've been tortured before haven't you?"

Eretria lets out a pain filled laugh, sarcastic and full and anger too. "You all want the same thing, you all do the same thing."

"You all?" The elf leans forward, staring straight into Eretria's glossy eyes. "Elves?"

"No, _monsters._ You want my screams in your ears and my blood painting your hands." Eretria spits blood in the elf's face. "You want to say it's for the greater good but it's just to satisfy your lust for blood."

The elf pulls out a syringe after wiping the blood from her face with stiff movements. "If you feel that way about torture i'll stop." Her eyes hold malicious intent. "This is an herb, it is meant to stimulate the effects of an insect that attacks trolls." Eretria stiffens. "You've heard of it then human?" Eretria grits her teeth and says nothing. "Good, now tell me what I want to hear."

"I mean no harm to elves or the Ellcrys." Her voice is steady and her eyes never leave the needle. "I wanted to seek information on the elves."

"Lies. Humans always mean to harm Elves. One more try."

"I'm not trying to kill you!" Her voice climbs in pitch before she releases a breath. "I want to turn the Ellcrys back to an elf."

"The princess scarified her life to safe us and you want to destroy the tree!" She sneers at the human, fingers tightening on the syringe. "Don't you humans understand what she did to save us?"

Eretria glare at her, jerking in her bindings. "More than you elf."

"Tell me who sent you."

Eretria bares her teeth. "No one."

"You have one last chance." The needle taps her ears, trailing down to her throat. "Who sent you?"

"No one!" Eretria watches the elf's hand twitch, needle pressing harder against her flesh. "I swear, I was the princess companion on her quest. Let me go."

The elf snarls. "You lie!" She digs fingers into the knife wound. "Maybe this will change your mind."

"Stop!" Eretria grunts out but the needle pierces her neck and there is a sudden burning pain as the liquid floods through veins. "NO!" Her scream rips through the air and she trashes against her bindings. The elf watches as eyes grow hazy and she trembles, twitching and crying out at intervals. Sweat pools across the human's skin and the elf continues to watch the pulse jump in her throat and her breathing quicken. Her screams are no more but she whimpers at intervals flinching back from non existence demons. Calling out to people at intervals.

Eretria tosses her head back and forth across the headrest, chest too tight and everything burning. There is a throbbing pain in her shoulder and her head pounds with every quick beat of her heart. Images flash before her eyes, memories torment her and she bites her lips to keep from screaming out as she rolls down the hill as a child, the laughter of drunken men behind her. Her eyes close tightly as the image of her first arrow wound digs through her memory, forcing her to relieve the glee on the bounty hunters face and the slavers smirk. The press of a knife into her side. A growl in her ear. A horse dragging her through the forest. A trolls tossing her into a tree and Cephalo's grunt of disappointment. Ripping the throat out of a man who got too close one night, chasing those men off and Cephalo's laughter at the fire in her eyes as his men grumble and wipe at their wounds. Killing a man, his blood staining her face and mouth open in shocked horror, forever stuck there. Amberle screaming as Cephalo moves to do unspeakable thing to her. Amberle and Wil flying away, burning pain in her hip. Amberle blood coating her chest as she falls to her knees, dead. The world humming around her, burning as demons get through and slaughter everyone.

She's still letting out keening whimpers when the door is broken open and the King's guards tackle the elf, throwing her down before cuffing her. "What did you do to her?"

The elf snarls at them, as delirious as the one at the prison hold. "She was planning to kill the Ellcrys."

"She was the princess' companion." Ander begins to untie Eretria, pulling the knife out and pressing on the wound. "You'll pay for your crimes."

"I was protecting our _species."_ And she snarling again, green eyes alight with a crazed intent.

"You acted on your own prejudices. Tortured an innocent girl." He cradles the girl to his chest, eyes dark with rage as she whimpers and curls into him, eyes lfuttering under her lids.

* * *

* * *

She wake up some time later, rolling over and moaning in softly in pain, her head isn't pounding and her veins aren't burning. "You got the antidote?"

"It took a while but yes." He eyes her. "What was it?"

"Troll hallucinogenic. Worse for humans." She rubs at her sore muscles.

He nods, turning to stare back at the fire as she assesses her injuries. "We'll have the doctors check you out in Arborlon."

Eretria scoffs, shaking her head. "I'm not going back."

"Amberle spoke to us, you can talk to her now." He looks up to meet her gaze, their dark and full of determination despite her pain. "You need to heal."

"I haven't found much of anything yet." And her hands shake. "I still haven't figured out how to turn her back."

He stares at her with sad eyes. "She was frantic, showed us the things they were doing to you and the way there. You should see her."

"I'm fine and she'll find me if she want to talk." She stands on shaking legs, pulling on still wet from cleaning jacket, the hole in the shoulder has been hastily mended. "Where are we? I was close to a break through."

His head drops and he heaves out a wary sigh. "There is no break through."

There's steel in her gaze. "Yes there is."

"Eretria, _please."_ He trembles himself, dropping the fire poker to the ground and rubbing at his hair. "You risk you life for something that isn't possible."

"Nothings impossible, you know that now." She stares at him like she can't recognize him. There are bags under his eyes and the smell of alcohol on his clothing, but not his breath. "Why are you giving up?"

"Because if I have hope it will be crushed and I won't survive that." And he sound just as exhausted as she is, torn and tired. "It's been two months, almost three, i'm _tired."_

Fire burns in her blood and it has nothing to do with the herb she was pumped full of. "So you're trying to stop me from saving her?"

He stiffens. "I never said that."

"You said there's no way to fix this."

"You have scoured every book you can find, Catania has been reading the same books and studying magic." He drops his head to his knees, sighing softly. "I would rather not have to comfort Amberle when you die. She does not want you to die for her."

"I'm not going to die."

His eyes glint with rage, so much like Amberle's. "You were _tortured."_

She bares her teeth at him. "And I would have freed myself tomorrow." 

He scoffs, refusing to get to his feet, refusing to use his height against the human. "If Amberle hadn't have contacted us?"

"I would be _fine._ I've been in worse situations."

He slams his fist into the rock below him. "Each time you are hurt, each time you risk your life on this quest you hurt Amberle."

Eretria's fist clench and she glares at him, it shouldn't look as threatening as it does, not with her still weak from blood loss and the troll hallucinogen. "She knows I can handle myself."

"Eretria, she was frantic when she contacted me." There's new lines around his lips and forehead that hadn't been there months ago. "I've never seen her so scared."

"She can yell at me when I bring her back."

He stares at her and his fingers twitch, he itches for a drink. For something to keep these emotions at bay. "She would be devastated if she was the reason you were killed, don't risk your life for hers."

She offers him something like a smile, but more of a grimace. "Like I said, i'll be fine and she can yell at me when she is back."

"At least rest, you were tortured for three days."

She rummages through her pack, wincing at the pull of sloppy stitches. "Like I said, i'll be fine."

"One night Eretria." He's staring at her with the same hazel green eyes as Amberle. " _Please,_ for both ours and Amberle's sake."

Eretria slumps, her shoulders falling. "You're the only one who calls her by her name now. Wil wouldn't say her name."

He steps close, offering his presence as comfort. "Catania does the same as you and I, you aren't the only one fighting for her. You're not alone."

"One night."

"Thank you." He motion to the fire and sleeping rolls on the ground, there is five of them and she can hear the guards making rounds through the woods. "Sit, dinner's almost ready." She slumps down on the thick padding, fingering the wounds across her body. "We stitched them the best we could." He winces. "They did the best they could in the field."

"It's not the worst I've had." She looks up at him. "Did Amberle speak to you directly?"

"Yes. I went into the room like normal and she reached out to me. She was frantic." He closes his eyes. "I saw mostly images, sometimes her face. None of it was clear except that you were in danger. That and where to find you."

"At least she figured out how to finally contact you." Eretria mumbles, stiff in the company of Amberle's uncle, she doesn't know how to act and when she receives a silent glare for her comment she snorts. Apparently it must run in the family.

* * *

* * *

Later that night Amberle comes to Eretria she races forward to cradle her face, searching over it. "You could have died."

Eretria grins. "I'm fine."

Amberle's face is twisted in guilt and worry. "Don't do this anymore."

Raising an eyebrow Eretria intone sardonically. "Get kidnapped? Pretty sure I didn't plan on that happening."

"Enough! You know what I mean, for once listen to me, please."

Eretria's hands move, gripping Amberle's wrists. "I'm not giving up on you Amberle."

Hazel eyes flash angrily. "There is _nothing_ you can do."

"Stop saying that." Eretria returns her glare, chest still at the words from the elf. "There's always something."

Amberle's fingers tighten across her chin, breaths coming in heaves. "You told me all those months ago that no one would look after me, where did that girl go?"

"You know exactly where she went." Eretria scowls at her, squeezing her wrists slightly. "You didn't give up on me, no matter how bad it got. I'm not giving up on you."

Amberle moves to pull away, furious. "It is not giving up if its an impossible task you can't finish!"

"That's exactly what giving up is." Eretria steps in closer, standing flushed, chest to chest, with her. "This isn't hopeless and it isn't impossible. I can do it."

Those long fingers curl over Eretria's face, soft and thrumming with heat. "Magic comes with a price, I paid it."

"Magic can go fuck itself!" Eretria jerks away from Amberle, releasing her wrists and scrambling back. "I lived without it until Wil and you came along. Magic is not the end all and it is not a wall. I can reverse it, I can fix this."

* * *

* * *

* * *

Amberle doesn't come back to her after that. Eretria spends nights tossing and turning, riding Ginger all day and most of the night until they have to stop. Until she can sleep undisturbed for a few hours. She finds another underground library, this one uninhabited but partially flooded. Ginger is left to graze and the books and saddle are hidden in a tree, on the highest branch. 

She drops back down on the rope, boots splashing in the water as they hit the ground. she walks until she hits stairs then she swims down them, counting in her head before she heads back up, slowing her breathing each time before she goes under again. She swims and swims, almost out of air when she finally comes to a half demolished room, mostly flooded but a foot of space before she goes down again swimming until she comes to another room, this one mostly dry. Wringing out her hair she steps to the books, flipping through them and lighting a small torch.

She hits a booby trap that has an ax almost take her head off, then one that looses an arrow through her arm. "Son of an elf!" She grips it, leaning close to the ground and ripping it out before she rips a few books down the shelves, flipping through them. She pulls out the satchel on her back, unhooking all the latches and ties. A present stolen from some rovers near the big rivers. Mostly waterproof. 

She tosses a few books in there, they might weigh her down but she loads it as full as she can and as she heads out there's another click and she spots the blade coming at her, she dives into the water as boulders smash around her, triggered by the blade. The room begins to close off and she swims with all her might to the next room, gasping for breath and weak. More rocks begin to crumble and she sighs, pulling in a deep breath before she swims to the next room, climbing up the stairs before she unhooks the pack, opening it to check on the books. They're only slightly wet. She dumps the water out and ties the pack back shut and to her shoulders before she forces herself to climb the rope, grunting each time, blood dripping down her arm.

* * *

 Two days later she stumbles upon a rover encampment, those who recognize her as the free girl Cephalo's used to lug around. She drinks, throws darts with them, well knives. asks about elven places they've stumbled upon and falls back into the rhythm of rover life. When the moon has risen far past the middle of the night she finds one of the guys going through her bags and she holds a knife to his throat. "Take it out of your pocket now, I will gut you if you take anything of mine."

"Touchy touchy." He pulls the book out of his belt and tosses it the the bag. "Klane allowed you to stay, I was simply finding means of payment." He looks her up and down. "Unless you have another way?"

"Like I said, take anything of mine and I gut you. Cephalo saved your leader's ass years ago, he owes Cephalo's line. Which means he _owes_ me." She presses the knife to his throat. "So watch yourself before I take liberties with your life." He leaves the tent with a scowl and she packs her bags right after, grabbing them and urging ginger on past the camp before the guy can get any more ideas.

* * *

* * *

* * *

A few weeks later the sun beats on her back and her limbs ache, she leans heavily on Ginger's neck. With difficulty she raises her head, searching her surroundings before the world spins. Her fingers scramble to grab onto the horn of the saddle but her vision is blurring and her chest is heavy. She hits the ground with a thump and a pained groan, Ginger's neighing loudly before a nose snuffs at her sweat slick hair. "Enough Ging." The human moves to bat at the nose, but her hand doesn't even brush the horse, barely lifting from the ground. Her world turns fades to black, Gingers nibbling at her hair gently, huffing breathes across the girl's heat ridden skin.

There is the soft sound of hooves in the distance and Ginger neighs loudly, receiving an answering call from the other horse. There are shout and grunts from the riders as the argue over their mounts before two people sitting atop their mounts come into view. One is a woman, arms thick with muscles and a scar across her left cheek. "Diego look."

The man's eyes widen, hidden behind long graying hair tucked into small braid. "On no." They both climb off their horses, the woman pressing her hand to the girls's clammy skin. 

"She's got a fever, looks like she's had it a few days." She moves her shirt to look at the rash on her chest, creeping up her collar bones. "Fever rash if not something else." She pulls at the skin on the top of the girls hand. "Dehydrated too." She heaves the small girl into her arms. "Grab her horse old man." She places the girl in her saddle, allowing her to slump against it's neck before she mounts the saddle herself, arms wrapping around the girl. "We have to hurry back to the village."

* * *

_Amberle stands before her, transparent and face calm. "Amberle." The elf doesn't look at her, staring off into the distance. "Amberle!" The elf begins to walk forward, armor morphing into a white dress that clings to her. Her ear tips are covered in silver, neck heavy with a intricate necklace, rings dance across her finger. "Amberle!"_

_The elf finally turns around and Eretria's eyes widen, red begins to pool over the white. She runs forward and Amberle falls to her side, she is coated in red, the sliver on her ears, hands and neck stark against the red. When she reaches her there is a tree in her place. Leaves as red as her blood. "NO! Amberle."_

* * *

The woman looks up sharply from where she boils water, the girl they had brought two days ago thrashes in her sleep. "Am." Her word cuts off. "Amberle." The tone is desperate, broken. _"Please."_

The woman sighs, dropping tea leaves into the boiling water and grabbing a cloth that rests in a bowl of cool water. She rubs at the girl's sweat slick face and neck. "You poor girl." Her eyes are broken with understanding. "You've lost someone."

The girl grunts and murmurs in her fever ridden dream, too lost to the heat and sickness. Amberle calls to her in her fever dreams, but the comfort is not enough. Eretria's body is to sick. Too riddled with the fever to distinguish Amberle from the dream counter part.

 

* * *

* * *

* * *

The end of month five starts with howls of elf hunters, so like Zora's that Eretria winces. She follows the sounds easily enough, leaving Ginger to stay in a open field. There five of them, cornering an elf and toying with her. Their knife poke at her, not drawing blood but teasing. Toying. She grits her teeth, grips her knife and heaves with all her might. It embeds itself into the back of the head of the largest man. He hits the ground with a thump and she's pulling another knife out, throwing it and running forward at the same time. It takes out the woman with the bow, buries itself into her throat.

The other three scramble for their weapons, forgetting about the elven child as they fight off Eretria. She draws the sword of the fallen guy, slicing through the defenses of the smallest male easily before parrying with the last female and her male counter part. She guts the female and then the male is one her, knocking her down and looming over her, pressing his sword to hers as he tries to slice her open. She grunts with the effort, the ground digging into her back before there is a sickening squelch and thump. The man slumps over her, all dead weight. She throws him off and find the elf girl holding a rock, blood and hair sticking to it. "Thanks kid."

The little girl has dark red hair and bright green eyes that brighten as she looks at Eretria. "Thank you."

Eretria grunts as she stands. "You live around here?" The kid remains quiet. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just saved you."

The kid is staring at her ear, eyes narrowed. "You're human."

Eretria scoffs, wiping at the blood on her face, wincing as it catches her split lip. "At least I know your eyes work."

The girl scowls at her. "Why did you save me?"

The human rolls her eyes. "You're a kid, they're monster."

"But you're human too."The girl narrows hers, confused.

"I've met human monster, elf monsters and demons monsters kid." Blue eyes are boring into Eretria's "They're all the same on the inside."

It seems to be the right thing to say as the kid relaxes, grinning despite a black eye and bloodied lip. "I'm Keela."

Eretria takes the small bloodied hand in her own, slightly larger but just as bloodied hand. "Eretria."

The girl looks around as Eretria rips the knives from the dead, wiping them off before putting them back in their hiding spots beneath her jacket. "What're you doing out here?"

"Research."

Blue eyes spark mischievously. "On what?"

"Elves."

"Why?"

Eretria huffs at the rapid fire question after question. "My friends are elves, I'm trying to save one of them."

The girl looks cautious, and confused. "Are they sick?"

Bloodied hands tremble before she calms them. "Something like that."

The girl stares at the spilled messenger bag, the scrolls and books bound in thick water proof binding. "You need books?"

"Yeah, why?"

"My village has a library."

Eretria laughs, loud and surprised. "You leading me into a trap?"

The girl glares at her, hands on her hips and eyebrow raised high. "I just saved you, why would I do that?"

Eretria snorts and the girl grins, wide and happy despite having been captured by elf hunters. "Lead the way then Keela."

She spends three weeks there, hiding in Keela's tree house and copying texts and scrolls from the library at night, sometimes pocketing them with quick apologies as she leaves. Keela gives her a tight hug when an elf with one ear drops into the tree house, nodding at them both. "I'm meant to help you?"

Eretria pries the young elf off of her, kneeling down to whisper a goodbye into her ear and press a ring into the kids hand. "For luck and protection Keela." The girl nods, tightening her little fists around it before Eretria stands. "Let go then Elf."

He's eyeing her as he sneaks her out of the village. "What is your name?"

She follows after him, wary. "Eretria."

"You were the one taken by the elf hunters." And his eyes are bright at the confirmation to his week long suspicion.

She looks at him, suspicious, takes in his scared scalp. "Yeah?"

"Did Wil and Amberle find you?"

She pauses, making him stop as well as her chest tightens in something like anguish and regret. "Yeah, haven't you heard?"

"About Amberle? Yes." He stares at her, taking in the thin set of her shoulders and the bags under her eyes. " The elders know of you. Not being the companion to the princess, but about the elf hunters. Keela is not as stealthy as she thinks. But we owe you, you saved Keela from them."

She shakes her head, following after him as he starts walking again. "Do I get your name?"

"Perk." Eretria snorts. "Problem?"

She shakes her head, eyes dancing in amusement. Something they had been lacking in recently. "Elves and their names."

"And Eretria is a human one?" Eretria scowls at him and he smiles. "You are welcome here as long as you need, for saving Keela as well as helping the princess on her quest. Any human Wil trusts I trust."

"Wouldn't put much stock into his word Flyboy." She huffs out. "Anyway, I need to go any other secret hidden elf cities?"

"There might be a few. Gwenvien can fly us over a few places, we'll check them out."

She looks up in surprise. "You'll take me?"

"I'll oversee you checking the places we find, the ones I know of."

"Why?"

"You saved Keela." He shrugs. "Wil trusts you. He saved my life."

She scoffs, suspicious once again. "You're not even going to ask me what i'm doing?"

He stares at he, before his lips twitch. "Amberle was very adamant about finding you, making sure you didn't think you were alone. You have the same look she had in her eyes." She spends the rest of month five and most of month six with Perk, searching libraries he and the elders knew about.

* * *

* * *

* * *

The rest of month seven and eight are spend riding long and hard back to Arborlon before the time is up. Ginger pants under the weight of the scrolls and Eretria but the human pushes and pushes, with apologies and soft rub downs of the horse when they rest for the night.

She comes to the gates, bursting through them when the female guard recognizes her. Its enough to get her through the gates and into the castle but a guard stops her at the door to the tree. To Amberle. "Let me see Amberle."

"Who are you to demand this?" One of the guard steps close, chin raised high, sneering at her. "Human."

She bares her teeth, tilts her own head high. "Eretria, now let me see her."

The elf scoffs at her. "You are not permitted to be here, let alone see the tree."

"Denon." The king steps from the hall, hair longer than before but eyes just as tired. "It is fine, she was friends with my niece."

The guard stiffens. "She is human Sire."

"She helped save the world." Ander's voice grows harsh. "Do not question me again."

"Of course Sire. My apologies." The guard disappears with heavy steps and tense shoulders.

Ander tilts his chin to the side. "Follow me." He sounds tired, worn yet his shoulders rest straight like they hadn't when she last saw him.

Eretria stiffens. "Just like that, you let me in again. No questions?"

"Allanon has kept me updated on you." And Ander grins at her, wane and teasing.

"And?"

"I knew you would come back." He eyes the spot where the knife had entered her shoulder those months ago. "You've spent the better part of eight months searching for a way to bring her back."

The human clenches her fists, thinking of the last time they spoke, as he leads her into the room. "Thought you all were fine with her being a tree now?"

"We all took it differently, she did what she had too." He stops, staring at her, his finger trembling as they come to the tree. "She hasn't spoken to us beside wanting to help you those months ago. I miss her."

"I searched all across the lands."

His eyes are cautious but hopeful. "And?"

"I've brought books, do you have the drui-?"

He shakes his head, shoulders dropping. "I don't think he'll help if it will harm the balance."

"Then get me a magic reader who can."

"Catania has been studying it these last few months since Amberle." He swallows. "Since the last night of the war."

Eretria tense, waiting for the ball to drop. "Will she stop me from bringing her back?"

"She misses her best friend." He pulls his long hair back from his face, from his ears, twisting it into a bun. "She can decipher the reading but she won't be much help beside that."

Something like hope settles in her chest, despite the heavy bags on her shoulders. "We'll figure it out."

"Thank you."

Eretria scoffs. "I'm not doing it for you."

His eyes are bright and he stares at her like he understand her, like he can see right through her. "I know."

* * *

* * *

Catania slumps against the floor, book sliding down her knee as she sighs. "Don't give up yet Elf."

Catania looks worse for wear, bloodshot eyes and matted hair tanlged from her twitching fingers. "We're no closer than we were three weeks ago."

Eretria grits her teeth. "I did not bring back a cartload of books for you to give up on me."

"I'm not giving up, i'm tired." Catania wipes at her eyes. "She speaks to you?"

Eretria shrugs."Sometimes."

Catania looks renewed despite having little to no sleep since Eretria came back. "I'm not giving up."

"Good."

"Can we please get dinner though? Amberle always forgot to eat as well." Eretria stares at the book and Catania stands, settling a hand on her shoulder. "She wouldn't want you to starve. Give our eyes a rest and we'll get some dinner.

* * *

* * *

Another month passes and Eretria learns the language of magic slowly before she stares at the book, her chest stills. "I think I have the last piece." Her voice is quiet and Catania comes rushing over, reading over the notes in front of her with wide eyes.

"Eretria, this cant be right." The blonde shakes her head.

Eretria looks like she's found the answer to life itself, the wind catching under her sails after months of still water. "It's the only way."

Catania scowls at her, poking at the human's chest. "It can't be."

Eretria shoves the finger away. "We can do it."

Catania is grinning at Eretria, soft around the edges and nostalgic. "She'll kill us."

Eretria closes her eyes, shoulder dropping in relief. "She'll be here though."

"Should I get Wil, let him say hi-"

"No." And she's harsh. Harsher than she shoulder be to Catania, who has been scouring these books with her for weeks on end. "It'll work, everything will be fine."

"If you're right then we have a week to get it right." And that familiar flood of excitement, the same she got when she and Amberle used to be up to no good. "A week to train you."

"I grew up a rover." Eretria is smirking at her, pulsing confidence. "I don't need much training."

Catania scoffs and shoves Eretria's feet off the table with a roll of her eyes. They sit in silence before the blonde speaks up. "Will she know what you're planning?"

"No, she only sees what I let her." The room is tense with unspoken secrets and they both stare at the books littering the table.

"You don't have too." She is the voice of reason, despite the hope for Amberle to come back, she's grown fond of Eretria. Can understand why Amberle and the human had gotten along as much as they hadn't.

"I've spent the better part of almost a year doing this." She's got a determined flash in her eyes Catania recognizes. "I'm not giving up now."

"I guess its a good thing your a citizen of Arborlon now." Eretria scowls at the mention and Catania's grin widens.

* * *

* * *

A week later she runs in the gauntlet despite the horror of the elves and Catania's wide grin at once again jerking around the stiff old elves that refused to change with the new times. Last year Amberle was the first female, this year Eretria the first human. Eretria runs and she gets across the line first despite the continuous sabotage of the elves running. Ander greets a bloodied and panting Eretria and a grinning Catania. "This was your plan?" His eyes are bright for the first time in months, like the world has lifted off his shoulders.

Eretria laughs, loud and relieved. "You'll be thanking me soon Elf King."

"I never doubt what you tell me Eretria." And he sets his hand on her shoulder. "It is my pleasure to accept you as a Chosen and as a defender of the Ellcrys."

Eretria scoffs but nods, rubbing at the back of her neck. Catania saves her from an embarrassing moment. "Chosen feast right? Then we greet the Ellcrys King Ander."

"Of course Catania, the elders wouldn't miss it for the world." And his eyes are dancing in mirth again.

* * *

 The feast is in full session but Eretria and Catania skip it. Catania stares at her, waiting in front of the tree. "You don't have to."

"No, but I want to."

Catania swallows. "I didn't think i'd ever be friends with a human."

"Never thought I'd survive with elven royalty." She smirks at Catania. "Or their handmaidens."

Ever the voice of reason Catania speaks up. "It might not work."

"Oh, it'll definitely work." She pauses, clenching her teeth. "Take care of her?"

"Always." Catania then pulls the human into a hug, Eretria stiffens before sighing and hugging her back. "Thank you Eretria, I don't. I don-"

"Don't get soft on me."

"Wouldn't dream of it. Good luck."

"Never needed luck, ask the Princess." She pulls away and Eretria walks to the door, grabbing it before pulling it open and walking through with a thick swallow of her emotions.

* * *

* * *

Amberle sees her at first once she walks through the door and runs to hugs her. "Eretria? What are you doing here?"

Eretria drink in the sight of her as she pulls her into a tight hug, a sight she had been blocking for weeks just to keep her plan secret. "I've come to free you Princess."

Amberle laughs against her temple, shaking her head. "There's no way. It's not possible."

They stay hugging one another. "You gotta stop doubting me." Eretria pulls back, gaze sweeping over her before she leads Amberle to the door with insistent hands. "You have to go through first, I need to close it."

Amberle's face is flush with shock, awe and hope. "I didn't think I could leave, i'm the seed."

"And i'm stubborn, Princess." Eretria is fighting to keep her hands from trembling, her voice from cracking. "I figured it out."

"You didn't have to." Amberle cradles her face, searching dark eyes for answers. "Thank you."

"No problem Princess." Eretria swallows before lurching forward to kiss the other girl. It's soft and cautious but they end with their foreheads together and Eretria sighs. "I've been waiting for a year."

"You didn't give up." Amberle is awed again, voice wet.

"I don't give up Amberle." She cradles Amberle's face, memorizing the things she thought she had forgotten. "Go, I have to be the last one out, part of the ritual." Amberle presses another grinning kiss to Eretria's lips, laughing joyously. Eretria closes her eyes, memorizing what she can before she pushes the elf away with a smirk. "Go."

"I'll see you out there." Amberle grins at her, pulling in a deep breath before walking to the door and stepping out, turning her head at the last minute to smile softly at Eretria.

* * *

Catania hugs Amberle close as she steps out and the tree changes, it's leaves merge and shift to a soft golden orange, no longer blood red. "What's happening?" She's holding Catania tight, but her eyes are on the doorway, on the tree.

Catania shifts, gripping the other elf tighter as the door shuts with a loud slam. "It changed seeds, genes."

Amberle stiffens, jerking back away from Catania's hold. "Where's Eretria?"

Catania ducks her chin to her chest, swallowing the thick emotion in her throat. "Magic comes with a price."

"NO!" Amberle lunges for the door but it won't budge. "Eretria!" She slams her hands on the trunk of the tree. "You stupid girl." She presses her forehead into the tree. "Please. Please." No visions come, Eretria does not join her mind in comfort. Spinning Amberle stares at the tears on Catania's face. "Where are the book?" Amberle grows frantic. "How do I preform the ritual?!"

Catania swallows. "You can't. It can only happen once a year. When the gauntlet is done and the chosen seek the Ellcrys."

"She's human! How did she even enter?" Her words crack and she slams her fist into the trunk of the tree. "How did she win?"

"She's of the Elven society. Your uncle gave her citizenship." Catania makes to move forward but stops at the shuddering of the princess' shoulders. "There's no rules that it must be an elf, only that it must be a citizen of the Elves. I didn't think it would work."

 _"Why?"_ The word cracks as it leaves her lips and it breaks Catania's heart. She had seen the same emotion in Eretria the month she'd spent with her. She could recognize the same emotions in her best friend.

"I thought the same, that she was human. It would reject her or they wouldn't let her in the gauntlet." Catania steps close to her best friend. "She's loves you and I couldn't squash the hope. I didn't want to." Catania's eyes fill with tears. "I missed you and so did she." Her fingers brush Amberle's shoulder. "I didn't think it would actually work, I had hope and doubts and fear."

"Why would you let her go through with this?!" Amberle whips around to glare at her best friend. "You all knew I was fine being the tree!"

"Because I couldn't snuff out her hope. I _couldn't_ Amb." The tears falls, face flushed with grief. "God, if I could I would go in her place."

"Don't say that!" Amberle glares at her, fingers trembling and eyes glazing over with tears. "It was always meant to be me and you two changed it. I don't want either of your lives for mine!"

Catania shudders, rubbing at her face, splotching red. So very sad yet so very relieved. "She's not dead."

"No but she stuck there forever!" Amberle kicks the tree before she falls to her knees, tears dripping down her face. "You stupid human!" She wipes at her face, turning to stare at Catania from her lowered position. "In a year you are going to help me get her back."

"She won't fall for the trick like you did." Catania speaks softly and with thick grief. "She won't leave the Ellcrys. She did it for you Amberle."

* * *

* * *

* * *

Long after the party has ended, longe after the others have greeted Amberle back with joyous noise and hugs. The Elders took the story of the human Chosen and her sacrifice surprisingly well and long after her uncle had clung to her with trembling shoulders and hair longer than she remembered. He leads her to the throne room, quiet and too large. Feeling far larger than it had once been. "Do you want to rule?"

Amberle pulls in a long slow breath before letting it out in a sigh. "No uncle, I want Eretria back."

"She cares for you." And he's staring at her like he understands. Like he's felt the same pain she is feeling. "She did this for you."

Amberle scowls, hands trembling. "I didn't ask her too."

"You didn't need to." That soft look is in his eyes again and he squeezes her shoulder. "She wanted you to have your life back."

"And i'm suppose to leave her in the tree?" Her hazel eyes are bright with challenge, fingers itching for a fight.

He just tilts his head, eyes far too wise since she last saw him. "I never said that."

She furrows her brow, shaking her head, fingers stilling. "Then what are you saying?"

"Life is a series of choices, make yours as you can."

She furrows her brows. "That makes no sense."

"It will in time." And he sounds like her father and grandfather then. Experienced and far too wise. "Come, there isn't much you can do. The ritual is known by Catania, you just have to wait."

She sighs, rubbing at the braid in her hair. "I hate waiting."

"You an me both." He brushes a kiss to her the crown of her head. "Lets speak to the Elven society. I think we must change the rules involving humans. They do not need to be the enemy." 

* * *

Wil comes barreling through the city, days later. He stares at her like she is everything he ever needed. "Amberle." His voice cracks and his eyes water.

Amberle closes her eyes as he pulls her into a tight hug. "Wil." She feels the familiar press of his hands to her shoulder and the elf stone against her cheek.

"I didn't think she could d it. I didn-" He chokes on his words.

Amberle jerks back, narrowing her eyes at him. "You knew what she was doing?"

"I told her it she couldn't bring you back!" He shaking his head, voice high and wild. "That you had made the sacrifice for us to live. I tried to bring her back home with me, but she wouldn't come." His fingers cradle her cheeks and his eyes flicker down to her lips before finding her eyes as he calms down. "But she did it."

Amberle scoffs, low, sad and angry. "At the cost of herself."

"She's?" And he looks like he doesn't want the answer. Like he's scared.

Amberle lets out a low sigh, closing her eyes, fingers trembling as she remembers the way Eretria's eyes had scoured over her, drinking her in like it was the last time she would see her. That should have been her first clue. "The Ellcrys."

He shakes his head, choking at the news. "I didn't, why would she?"

Amberle pulls back from him shaking her head. "I don't know, but I will ask her in a year."

His brow furrows and his hands drop to his side once she's stepped back. "In a year?"

"I'm trading places with her."

"What?!" His eyes are wild again, like he was fighting trolls again. Like there was no hope and only one way of escape. "She brought you back, why would you go back in there?"

Amberle shakes her head, clenches her fists and breaks. "Because I don't want her in there!"

"She gave her future for yours, do not trade that out." His eyes are soft and pleading, lips trembling.

"It's exactly what she did."

Wil steps back, pulling in a deep breath to calm himself. "You have a year? And there's nothing we can do?"

"No." She tugs at the braid curling over her shoulder, eyes downcast. 

"You can come with me." He's pleading with her again, eyes earnest and hands gentle across her shoulders. "If you change your mind you can come back here."

She furrows her eyebrows, shaking her head. "Go with you?"

He smiles that soft self depreciating smile she had once found slightly charming a year ago, when life was changing to fast and everything was in turmoil. "Yeah, I missed you." 

"You never visited Wil."

He stiffens, shaking his head, jaw clenched. "I didn't want to see you as the Ellcrys."

Amberle glares at him. "Will you visit Eretria?"

"Amberle." He says her name like it pains him. 

She steps closer, jaw clenched. "Will you?" 

"She won't want to see me."

"You just can't stand the tree." She rounds on him, spitting anger and fire. "Eretria fought tooth and nail for us, both of us and you'll let her suffer _alone."_

"She's not suffering!" His eyes are wild again, like he's lost the elf stones again. Like his plan are falling out from under his feet. "She made her choice, just like you did. I respect that."

"You won't help me?"

He huffs, dropping his shoulder but meeting her eyes. "She made her choice Amberle."

Amberle squares her shoulders, happy for the privacy of her rooms as she glares at him. "And I've made mine."

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

One year later

 Amberle goes to the tree once the Chosen party begins and the door opens easily under her hands, like it had been waiting for her. Eretria looks up from sitting, hands on a strategy board. "I'm going to kill Catania." The human growls out as she stalks to Amberle and the door.

"I couldn't leave you in here." Long fingers are tight on the door, refusing to let it close again until Eretria was out of it. "Go, please."

"No way Princess." Eretria looks the same as she last saw her, strong jaw, hair braided back and jacket across her shoulders. "I'm not leaving you in here."

Amberle scoffs, throws her hands wide. "And you think I can leave you here?"

"You have people that care about you out there!" Eretria roars, hands shaking as she refuses to drop Amberle's gaze. "Your uncle, Catania. All of your people love you and they need you."

"I _need_ you!" The elf screams out, face red with emotions, she steps closer to Eretria and away from the door. "My uncle and Catania care for you." Amberle steps closer again, trembling fingers gripping the human's cheeks as they get into each others space. "My people heard what you did last year, when they saw me again they believed. They cared for you even if you don't see it." She brings her forehead to press to the Eretria's. "Do you not see their gifts to you?"

"I only looked in once in a while." Her eyes turn away from Amberle, from showing the grief that clung to her. The loneliness. "I couldn't look and see the pain I had caused."

Amberle lets out a choked laugh that catches in her throat. "I wanted to _kill_ you."

Eretria almost gets a full laugh out before it dies away, choked and spent. "Please, you couldn't kill me if you tried."

"No, I can't." Amberle says softly as she fingers the rounded ears of the rover, rubbing listlessly over them causing the human to blush red up her cheeks and to those ears. Amberle smiles sadly. "Let me trade places with you."

Eretria huffs out a snort, shaking her head. "No."

"Eretria, it was always meant to be me." Amberle lets her fingers still over ear, hazel eyes soft and begging.

"Your people need you, you've done so much to help them." Eretria brings her fingers up to tangle around Amberle's wrists. "I'm not letting you get trapped here again."

"You think I want you in here?" Amberle tightens her hold on Eretria. "I want you out there, living!"

Eretria sighs, presses her forehead to Amberle's with hesitance as she speaks. "And I want you out there living."

Tears trickle down Amberle's cheeks, dripping and catching on their hands and Eretria's cheeks. "I can't live knowing you're stuck in here Eretria."

"And you think I can Princess?" Eretria lets out a wet laugh, fingers tightening on Amberle's wrists. "I spent a year reading and bleeding to get you out. I'm not giving up because you ask me to."

 _"Please."_ The plea is choked as more tears trail down Amberle's face.

"It won't work Amberle, just go." And Eretria begins to pull back, letting go of the elf's wrists. "Enjoy life while you can."

Amberle refuses to let go of her cheeks, fingers close to bruising. "No, I can't live while you stay here know you're barely living."

"I'm doing fine Princess, I've been talking to the past Ellcrys, we've kept the evil creatures at bay. Everything is fine." Her lips twist into a wry grin and she tangles one hand with the elf's pulling it from her cheek. "Better strategist than I thought."

Amberle ignores everything but the first sentence, plowing forward. "Then I'll stay here with you."

Eretria scoffs, loud and derisive. "You can't."

"I'm not leaving you here alone." Amberle growls out, and Eretria steps back, releasing the elf's hand.

Amberle's other hand falls from her cheek and Eretria speaks like her chest is cracking open. "Amberle."

"Eretria."

The human closes her eyes, shoulders dropping. "They need you."

"They lived without me for a year already, I need you." Amberle steps close to Eretria. "Two protectors are better than one."

"Wil won't-"

Fire flashes in Amberle's eyes and she rolls them at the rover. "Wil has a betrothed and is living in the glade healing, I don't care what he thinks of my actions."

"Your uncl-"

Amberle plows on, pushing through every excuse. "Lasted a year of ruling without me."

"Dammit Princess let me finish a damn sentence!" Amberle laughs but tilts her chin for Eretria to continue. "They will miss you, I don't care if they can rule the damn kingdom without you, I care about them hurting."

Amberle grins, soft and sweet. "You know you've come a long way from not caring about me to caring about everyone."

"Its an awful feeling." Eretria deadpans.

Amberle chuckles, itching to close the distance again. "We can protect the world together, neither of us want to be stuck out there with the other in here. We could split that work, be strong enough to talk to the others instead of struggling."

Eretria lets out a long suffering sigh that ends with twitching lips. "I can't change your mind can I?"

"No."

"Is it even possible?" There something like hope glinting in Eretria's eyes that's reflected in Amberle's

"I didn't think it would let a human guard the realms but here we are. Magic comes with a price, but that price doesn't have to be paid alone." There is a silence before Amberle lets out a soft sigh at the plans dancing in Eretria's eyes. "I missed you."

Eretria lifts her chin, sarcastic retort on her lips before her face falls to a softness Amberle always seemed to draw out. "I missed you too."

Amberle steps closer, her eyes flit to Eretria's lips. "Can I?"

"You don't even have to ask." Eretria says as she surges forward, pulling the elf down by her long neck until their lips are pressed together. Long pointed ears press into her wrist and she brings a finger up to rub at the point, the elf in her arms moans into her lips. Eretria snorts. "You've been foundling my ears every time we meet."

Amberle blushes to her tips. "You don't react the same and not all touches have to be lustful." Her fingers brush the rounded edge, soothing. "Sometimes its a comfort, to me at least."

"I never complained."

Amberle's eyes flicker to her lips again and her fingers slip to tangle in the Eretria's hair, causing her to let out a soft groan of pleasure. Amberle tilts her head to the side, pulling Eretria closer with the tangle of her hair and fingers. "Interesting."

"Shut up and kiss me Princess." As the elf leans down slowly and meets the human's lips the door clicks shut behind them and the leaves on the tree change color for a third time. Some of the pale orange leaves darken until they are the crimson they had been a year ago. The bark remains silver but the leaves mingle, thick, red and orange as the two hold one another, taking the burden of protector and savior together. They'd be together as long as the Ellcrys stood tall and proud.

As the years pass on the stories of the Chosen and the Key, of the elf and the human, of the Princess and the Rover filter through-out the entire kingdom. They speak of a love that transcends years and time apart. A love that grew stronger the further apart they were and solidified the minute they came together. A love that continued on as long as the Ellcrys stood to protect them all. And once, every year on the same date the two exit the door under the Ellcrys, hands tangled together, leaving it under the protection of the new chosen. The leaves still crimson, orange and so very alive. That one day and night a year they celebrate with those they had left behind. For 24 hours they get to hug and cling to their friends and family they left behind. The world is not in danger and there is no hurry. They are all together, even if it is just for a day. 

**Author's Note:**

> This has been in my head and drafts for months. I finally decided to finish it up and post it. I was meaning to do a year in Amberle's life as she waited to trade places with Eretria as well, but time and motivation got the better of me. Let me know what you think, thank you for reading.


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